Mike Pyle Shows Viciousness

By Kevin Davidson

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

In a night full of bad calls, none is standing out more in my mind than the fight between Mike Pyle and TJ Waldburger.

In what was an absolute war, Pyle was able to finally get the finish against Waldburger after an insane flurry, and it was one of the worst ground and pound displays I have ever seen. And by worst, I mean that it was hard to watch because of how painful it looked. Pyle was able to trap Waldburger’s arm under his legs and land elbows to the chin and head of Waldburger, while Herb Dean looked on. I swear, Pyle was trying to either crack Waldburger’s head open or push into through the canvas.

It was one of the worst stoppages I have ever seen. Waldburger was clearly knocked out at one point, only to regain consciousness due to another elbow. You want to know what his gift was when he woke up? Another elbow that I am fairly certain broke his face. While it was a horrendous stoppage by Dean, it will do nothing but positively impact the career of Pyle. Pyle showed pure viciousness in the entire fight. He went after Waldburger the entire fight, constantly pressuring him and landing insane uppercuts and executing gorgeous trips. It was a spectacular all around performance. No doubt, he will get the most fame for his ending series of elbows.

The sport itself thrives on violent finishes. These are the type of finishes that produce highlight reels and get mainstream exposure. It was one of the worst beatings I have ever seen, and for better or worse, it will do nothing but get Pyle a better fight with more exposure for his next bout.